Wheel.



l. Y. DOWNING.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY15,1914.

1,157,302. Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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I. Y. DOWNING.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I5. 1914.

1,157,302. Patented. oct. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jmar (W0 JAMES Y. DOWNING, F JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

Application led May 15, 1914. Serial No. 838,889.

f TocZZ whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, JAMES Y. DOWNING, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Hinds and State of Mississippi, have invented new and useful Improvements in l/Vheels, of which the folr vlowing is a specification.

The invention relates to wheels, and more particularly to the class of resilient wheels vfor vehicles or the like.

The primary obj ect of the invention is the provision of a wheelof this character wherein the rim thereof is yieldably connected with the hub so that the said wheel will absorb all shocks and jars incident to its travel,

thereby increasing the life of the same, as well as minimizing wear and tear on the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a wheel of this character wherein vthe spokes are mounted so as to permit movement thereof when the rim or the hub are displaced, relative to each other thereby Vavoiding excessive strain on the spokes when the wheel is traveling over irregular ground surfaces.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which 'is simple in construction, possesses the requition, partly in section, of a wheel constructed lin accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the wheel. Fig'. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. y1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the pivot connection between the spoke and the rim of the wheel. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the spring engaging hook members. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the dust guard adapted to be mounted on the hub. Fig..8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the resilient wheel comprises a solid hub 10 formed in its outer periphery at predetermined intervals with recesses 11 which open through the said periphery for accommodating the inner ends of the spokes presently described. l l

Each spoke comprises an inner section 12 which is vpreferably made solid, over which telescopes an outer tubular section 13 having detachably threaded in its outer end a socket member 14 in the socket of which projects an ear member 15 suitably fastened to the inner side of a felly or rim 16 disposed concentrically with respect to the said hub. The ear member 15 is connected in the socket member 14 by means of a cross pivot 17, while the inner end of the section 12 isconnected in the recess 11 by means of a pivot 18 which is passed through the said section and mounted in the hub.

Arranged within the outer tubular section 13 of each spoke is a coiled compression spring 19, while formed in the inner section 12 at diametrically oppositey points are pairs of longitudinallydisposed guide channels or grooves 20 and 20', respectively, the channels or grooves 2O at the cuter end of the inner section 12 being contracted to form abutment shoulders a, while the channels or grooves 20 open through the outer end of the inner section 12, and slidably fitted in the said channels or grooves 20 are blocks 21 which are limited in their movement by the inner closed ends of the slots 2O and the outer contracted ends a thereof, the blocks being fitted with hook rods 22, the hook ends of which engage the outermost coil of the spring 19, while slidably fitted in the channels or grooves 2OV are bars 24 which are cut away for a portion of their length to form shoulders 23 at their innermost ends, the said bars 24 being fixed in the socket member 14 at their outer ends so that the f hook rods 22 and the bars 24 work lin opposition to each other against the resistance of the spring 19 on the displacement of the hub or felly relative to each other of the wheel.

Now it will be seen lthat on the downward displacement of the hub 10 a pull will be exerted upon the inner section l2 until the blocks 2l have engaged with the abutments vrlar arrangement the said sections 12'and 13 22 at the outer ends of the slots 20, whence the pulling action will be resistedunder the compression ofthe spring 19`which has its inner end resting uponthe shoulders 23 of the bars 24, which are fixed to the socket l member 14 connected to the felly'or rim,

the ,hook rods 22 being connected to the l blocks 21 will act'upon the spring 19, and

by the downward thrust the latterwill be`` come compressed, thereby resisting the said thrust, and in, this manner the hub isresiliently supported Vin the wheel; On an outward thrust of the rim or felly 16 the ba-r`s'24 through the shoulders 23 engaged with the inner end of the spring 19 will compress'the same, which is held by the hook rods 22 after the blocks 21 have moved a limited distance within the slots against Y the yabutment shoulders a, so that the outward thru'st'of the felly or rimv relative to the hub vis resisted, and thus sustain the same,

,under tension. Y

' The guidebars 24 are passed through the springs `19 Vfor their engagement in the grooves or channels 25, and bythis particuof the spokes will beY sustained in true alinement Vwith each other. Y Surrounding `each Vouter member 13 is a resilient washer 25 which is designed to close Y the socket member 14 to prevent the entrance of dust or dirt therein during the use ofthe c wheel, yand thus inthis manner the accumuwheel. Loosely surrounding the spokes and working in suitable slots 30 formed in the outer peripheries ofthe disks l27 are slides 31which close the .outer open ends ofthe 'recesses 29 to preventv the entrance of dust,

dirt or other foreign matter therethrough, or

`the accumulation of such foreign matter about the hub.VV Y Y V v It will be apparent that the h'ub and rim nfay be moved relative to each other, and also the spokes are capable of swinging .movement, and by reason of the construction of the latter the wheel will possess maximum resilient qualities for absorbing Y YVall shocks andjars incident to the travel of the wheel. 1 v I What is claimed is:- Y

1. A resilient wheel comprising aY hub, a l

t the'inner ends of the gsprings.

Yingthe socket members. l t Y I a-fx my vsignature .Y fin presence of rim concentrically disposed with respect to Y said hub, ear members fixed to the inner periphery of thev rim` at diametrically voppo- Y' sitepoints, inner and outer sections forming spokes extending radiallyfrom the hub to therim, the inner sectionsbei'ng telescoped within theouter sections, socket members threaded intheouter endsof the outer sections and receiving theear members, piv-V ots connecting the socket and ,ear members,

pivots .connecting theinner sections VtoV the Y hub, each inner 'sectionf'vbeing formed with diametricallyj opposed `guide `channels, Vone Y Y l pair of channels opening throughthe outer end of the inner section, abutments closing` the other pair of channels at the outer endV Vof the inner section', `blocks slidablytted in the closed channels, hook rods connected with the blocks, a c'oiled'compression spring mounted within each ofthe outersections. and engaged at one end/of the .hook rods.

Y and'bar's xed. to the socket members and working ,in the'openpair'of channels and having abutment shoulders engageable with 2. A resilient wheel comprising a hub, a

rim' concentrically Ydisposedwithfrespect to said hub,1ear membersfixed to the inner periphery of the rim at dia'metricallv opposite'points, inner and outer ysections forming 90` spokes extending radiallyl from the hub to'.

within 'Y the outer sections, socket members threaded 1n the outer endsofv the outer sec` ots connecting the ,inner sections to the hub,

YVeachinner section being formed with diametrically` opposed guide channels, one pair of channels opening through the outer endvof the inner section; abutments closing the other pairV of channels at the outer end of Vthe rim, the inner sections beingtelescoped f tions and receiving the ear members, pivots 95 i Vconnecting the socket Vand vear members, p1v

the inner section, blocks slidably tted in the vclosed channels, hook` rods'c'onnected with the blocks, a'coiled compression spring mountedwithin each4v of the outer-'sections v and engaged attone end of the hook rods, Y

, bars fixed to the socket members` and work-V ing in the Lopen pair of channels and having` Vabutment shoulders Vengageable withthe in-l ner ends ofthe springs, and resilient washers vsurrounding); the earY members for clos-V In testimonywhereof two witnesses.V

t Y JAMES Y. VDowivnve VWitnesses: i l i 'i A., J; Looks, 2 W. Cl MOORE.v

Y(Iopie's Yof this patent maybe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the f Gomiiiissionei` of Patents i Y Washngtomn. v v r 

